Esters

      ESTERS: WHAT IS THAT NICE SCENT?

Have you ever wondered why something or someone smells so good? These smells are actually a group of organic chemicals called 'ester'. Esters, which are a key factor in the aroma of various types of fruit, are often noted for their pleasant smell. It is either produced naturally or by a reaction namely, esterification. An ester has a structure similar to a carboxylic acid, with a few differences. In addition to its bonds (one double, one single) with the oxygen atoms, the carbon atom is attached to a hydrocarbon, which comes from the carboxylic acid while the single-bonded oxygen atom is attached to a second hydrocarbon from the alcohol. 

Here are some common names of esters that we didn't know then, but now we do:




*Esters can be found in anything that has a sweet-fruity scent. They are one of nature's way of expelling bad odours, I'd say. Esters have distinctive smells and are often used in flavourings and perfumes. For example, propyl ethanoate smells of pears, butyl butanoate smells of pineapple and methyl butanoate smells of apples.


*Esters are also used in the production of soap. Nowadays, there are many varieties of smells in soap that we can choose from. Do you know that benzyl acetate scent that you like? Yes, that is the smell of jasmine. 

*Small esters like ethyl ethanoate are excellent solvents for organic compounds. Do you know the nail polish removers you use? They actually use esters as solvents. Sunburn lotion and glues are also examples of ester-based solvents. 

*Did you know that natural esters are found in pheromones? I guess that must be nature's 'scent' of attraction, if you know what I mean. The organic chemicals present in pheromones produces a scent for the purpose of attracting the opposite sex. However, not all pheromones are for finding a suitable partner because, ants use pheromones as a mode of communication between them.

An example of the chemical structure of androstadienone(AND), a pheromone produced in men: